Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-04

THE DISTRICT ESTIMATES.
Six New school Buildings to be FRO
vided for.
TALK WITH COL. LUDLOW ON TH9 NEEDS OF THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE PAY OF TEACHERS, ETC
The District Commissioners have nearly COM
pieted the work Of preparing their estimates for
the next fiscal year. Nearly all OF yesterday was
spent In discussing the school estimates with
Super1ntendents Powell and Cook. Col Ludlow
stated to STAR reporter to-day In this connection
that the Commissioners will prepare schedule OF
the salaries to be paid the school teachers exactly
as they arrange the schedule of streets TO be i'm
proved. The teachers will be CLASSIFIED as hereto
fore, and each class will receive certain salary.
he added that the Commissioners will ask for
MORE MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS
tnls year than they did last year. supple
mentary proposition will also be submitted to
Congress for money to erect six new school build
1ngs. Col Ludlow said that twelve new buildings
unit FOR use, and also to allow the adoption OF the
luu-day system. The Commissioners do not think
iG absolutely necessary to abolish the halliday
plan This year, and therefore they will only ask
1or six schools, which win satisfy the Immediate
necessity for enlarged accommodations and also
aiioW a sanclent room for the increased number OF
pupils to be expected next year and the year
alter. In preparing their estimates the Commits
SlonerS he said, took the average number Of
pupils enrolled and added one thousand to that
number, which would be about the natural In
crease each year. They expect TO secure the pas
sage OF the bill at this session OF Congress but it
Will oe q year and more before the buildings will
De IN shape TO accommodate and properly house
all the pupils.
REFERRING TO THE HIGH SCHOOL,
Col. Ludlow said that it has capacity Of 75O pu-
Pills. but there are now 974 actually enrolled with
q great demand for entry by others. The Commis-
I'M
this condition or affairs and have q proposition
under consideration to unite the High School with
Ine henry school The lots owned by the District
fully 100000. They are not needed by the Dis
IIlct ana might as we'll be sold and S2 900 OF the
money appropriated for building q wing to con-
ance OF S5, 900 could be used to purchase lot and
build school-house to replace the Henry build
ing.
THIRTY-Two THOUSAND PUPILS ENROLLED.
Returning to the question OF the present accom-
modat1ons in the schools, Col. Ludlow said that
the average enrolment for the lrst five months Of
the current fiscal year was, in round numbers
$4,000, and the total enrolment was SO. 600. In
making their estimate for 1888 the Commissioners
taat sum aaa ADDED TO IL 1000 which is the
gency the Commissioner calculated that there will
De =, 400 pupils to provide with school rooms
Ihere are at present 460 school rooms in good con-
d1t1on, but the Commissioners estimate that COS
Will be necessary to meet the demand next year
But Dy putting In good order the rooms that are
now out OF repair. the number Of new schools
which 1t will be necessary to build Is reduced to
SIX. the amount estimated for the schools for the
next year win be about $4,000 greater than for
the present nScal year.
TEACHERS SALARIES.
Speaking Of the number of teachers required
Col. Ludlow stated that an increased number Of
693 Is desired. He has directed the supertntend-
ents to prepare schedules dividing that number
into classes and TO afix salary TO each class
fh0en hnch h.ov,
the arrangement OF the salaries and they do not
seem TO have been arranged on an equitable basis
The teachers got the idea into their he. Is that
every year they remained In the service their sal
aries would be increased by 500 The present ar
rangement WILL 90 away with the old, and the
teachers Will be
PAID ACCORDING TO THEIR WORTH
as teachers, and not On the basis of long service
This arrangement will not affect the average
salary OF $50 per annum paid teacher, al
though, OF course, particular cases Will be either
losers or gamers to certain extent. II man is
not competent TO earn $500 the Tact OF his long
amount at the expense OF some one more deserv-
Ing than he. Col Ludlow said that he FULLY recog-
nizes the fact and also the hardships attendant
thereupon, that While Washington has one OF the
best educational systems In the country the pub
lie school teachers receive smaller salaries than
are paid IN A. the North, and there Is. therefore,
supply the demand in the North. washington,
said he, is about
HALFWAY BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH
on this question. In the former instance the sala-
rtes are greater and in the latter smaller.
Col. Ludlow was asked how the comparative
merits OF the teachers would be determined He
replied that that Is matter for the Super1ntend-
entS to settle.
POLICE AND FIRE DEPARMENTs.
In reference to the police department Col. Lud-
low stated that the Commissioners will ask for
sixty additional policemen.
An appropriation for new fire engine house for
East Washington Is also included among the esti-
mates for the IRE department.
THE TOTAL.
When asked II he could give the reporter a defl-
mite idea Of the total amount the Commissioners
will ask for the support Of the District govern
ment the colonel replied that the assessor has es-
tlmated the income for 1885 80 at 81 363 2l. Al
though he thinks the assessor little TOO con-
servative In his estimate, yet that amount may be
taken as falr The Commissioners therefore can
not ask for more than twice that amount, or about
g. 100000